Raise Hell

by Briana Michaels

  “Doing what they’re told.” Michael unsheathed his sword, threatening to make good on his promise to cut down Constantine’s wings.

  With a heavy sigh, he buried his guilt and healed himself. He planned on reaching Uriel and Gabe so he could heal them first, but now... now he’d just put himself before his brothers. Fuck, Constantine hated this so much.

  “Very good,” Michael smiled. “I need you at full capacity for what we’re doing now.”

  “And, what is that?”

  “Flood and fire,” he purred. “I’m taking out everything in this realm to flush out our enemies. Warriors are already in position to attack in every direction. We’ll have the beast the second he crawls out.” Michael laughed, “I can’t believe he ate that bitch, Eve. Such a disgusting savage.”

  Keeping his expression guarded, Con nodded and cleared his throat, “What of Lazarus?”

  “He’ll return.”

  No, he fucking wasn’t. “How can you be so certain?”

  “I have something he needs.”

  Keep cool. Stay calm. “How do you know Lucifer didn’t eat him, too?”

  Michael licked his bottom lip thoughtfully. “I suppose that is a possibility, but I highly doubt it.”

  “Why’s that, sire?”

  “He knew this day was coming, Con. He knows everything. If he was to be eaten by Angel 666 then he would have had no reason to run off with him. Under all that gibberish he spouts, that motherfucker has the knowledge of the worlds in him. He’s chosen the side he wants to fight on, and it’s not with the brotherhood. He told Lucifer how to break free of his cage. He allowed him to murder our brother Raphael. When I find him, he will suffer a traitor’s death worthy of a legendary tale. I expect you to document it.”

  “If he knows everything, then he knows you’re going to do that, too, Michael. He won’t come back.”

  Michael cocked his head to the side. “He’s not the only one to know things, Constantine.” Snapping his fingers once, his smile was cruel and cocky.

  Lilith appeared in the doorway, her face beaten and swollen. It took every ounce of control Constantine had to not leap out of his seat and run to heal her.

  “This is Lilith,” Michael purred.

  Con pretended they were strangers. “A female in the brotherhood?”

  Michael ignored him, “Lilith, tell this Angel why Lazarus is going to return to us.”

  The dark-haired female bowed her head, her shoulders and wings sagging as she said, “Because I’m carrying a piece of him in me.”

  Con must have clouds in his fucking ears. “A piece of what?”

  “His soul,” Lilith whispered.

  Was that even possible?

  “Safety measure, you see?” Michael stood, bidding Constantine to do the same. “No Angel can possibly live without his energy intact. Lazarus will need to retrieve it if he wishes to survive outside the brotherhood.”

  Con paled. He needed to check himself before he wrecked everything by going apeshit on Michael right now. Shit, this Angel was far more dangerous than anyone knew. “You humble us all with your abilities, sire.”

  “There’s a reason I was made leader of the brotherhood, Constantine. It wasn’t just fate.” Michael dismissed Lilith with a wave of his hands. “Go back to your room and wait for me there, female.”

  As she bowed, Lilith’s eyes flashed in a pleading way at Con then quickly left the room.

  “Forgive me,” he stood slowly, “I am fully healed, but the energy it took has left me parched. May I have a bit of your water?”

  “Yes, yes, of course. Help yourself.” Michael flicked his hand over towards the kitchen area. Nodding once, Con started towards the kitchen when Michael grabbed his arm. “Forgive me, brother, for punishing you three as I did,” Michael said. “It hurt me as much as it hurt you.”

  Highly. Fucking. Doubtful.

  “It is I who am sorry to have failed you, sire.”

  “Think no more of it,” Michael released his arm, “I’m sure you tried your very best.”

  Con dropped his head and tried to get away. He wanted to see if he could reach Lilith before she disappeared entirely. “We did, sire. We searched everywhere.”

  “Then Lucifer is a sly creature indeed to have escaped my once best warriors.”

  Once best? Who was the best now? Con refused to take the bait. Instead, he headed off to search for Lilith and prayed he found her in time.

  Uriel took sharp, shallow breaths. “S-s-stop h-h-h-hovering.”

  Gabriel was on his knees, his elbows resting on Uri’s mattress, head buried in his hands. “I hate this.”

  Yeah, well, Uri couldn’t blame him. He’d hate it too if he had the energy to summon such an emotion. For now, all his focus was on breathing through the agony. There were more than one-hundred stab wounds all over him.

  Uriel hated that he’d been used against Constantine and Gabriel. Hated that he was their weakness. Hated that he wasn’t strong enough to get through Michael’s violence without serious PTSD. All it took was the bark of that tree to scratch against his spine and he’d been triggered. The knives, the sounds, the look in Michael’s eyes, the sharp bite of the first blade, the way the blood smelled – it was a swift slope down to a very ugly mental place for him.

  It had taken so long for Uriel to get over the last time this shit happened. He thought he had moved on from the metal anguish, gotten stronger. Now he realized how fucked he truly was. Uriel was never going to be better. Nothing about this was going to ever be okay.

  “We should… have never… returned.” Blood spilled out of his mouth while he talked. “I’m not… strong enough… to survive here.”

  “The fuck you talking about?” Gabriel dropped his hands and that’s when Uriel saw how bloodshot Gabe’s eyes were. “You’re the strongest Angel in the brotherhood, Uri.”

  “Not… strong enough… to withstand this…” Fuck it hurt too much to keep talking.

  The door opened and Gabriel spun around to see who it was. Holy shit! Gabriel’s back was ribbons. Flesh hung, shredded and torn, in sections down his back. His pants were saturated in blood. His wings shook as he kept them at half-mast so that they didn’t touch his ruined back.

  “I don’t have much time,” said a female’s voice. “I came to give you this.”

  Lilith, Uriel thought, his vision wavering.

  “Did Michael do that to your face?” Gabriel asked.

  “It’s nothing, Warrior. Here, take this and give the bulk to Uri.”

  “How did you know we were here? Did you see Constantine?”

  “No, I—” Lilith sucked in air and Uriel watched her slowly come into focus. She dropped down on her knees, “What in the name of creation did he do to you?”

  Uriel’s pride forced him to look her in the eye. “Nothing… that he hasn’t… done before.”

  “You’re going to bleed out if you stay like this.”

  “He didn’t hit… any of the… fatal spots… he only ever… dodges them.”

  Lilith’s eyes widened. Well, as much as they could considering she was sporting two new shiners herself. “I’ll slip you something in your food. What I brought you now is not nearly enough to fix all this.”

  All the magic in all the world wouldn’t be enough to fix all this shit. “Thank you,” Uriel choked out before he felt himself begin to fade.

  Gabriel leaned down and got all in his face, “Here. Drink this. It’s water. She brought water.”

  Gabriel was rambling. He never rambled. That was a bad sign.

  “You… first.” Blackness started to encroach Uriel’s vision.

  “Damnit, Uri, don’t be fucking stubborn right now. The mattress is dripping with your blood. She’s right, you’re going to bleed out before you heal.”

  “Then stop… talking… and drink first.” Uriel knew that out of the two of them, Gabriel was the one who needed his strength the most. If anyone was going to get out of here and make a difference, it shoul
d be Gabe.

  “Damn you, Uri. Fucking damn you.” Gabriel tipped the pitcher and began chugging.

  Uriel succumbed to the darkness and lost his battle with consciousness.

  Chapter 32

  Lucifer and Lazarus spent the better part of four hours talking into the night. It was hard to understand some of what the All-Knowing Angel talked about because so much of life was still foreign to Lucifer. Being locked in a cage for most of his existence hadn’t given him a lot of experience with anything. While he questioned Lazarus as much as possible and tried to sift through the crazy talk to find the answers he wanted, Lucifer silently worried about Eve. She hadn’t returned yet. Lazarus insisted she was fine – and who was Luce to question the Know-it-All, but when the moon was high in the sky, Lucifer set out to hunt her down.

  If she needed space and privacy, she could have it in the cottage. He didn’t need to be cooped up in another cage – even one as comfortable as the tiny home in the middle of what looked like a paradise. Knowing Eve was alone in this foreign land didn’t sit well with his protective side, which meant it was time he found her and brought her home.

  He tracked her down easily enough. All Luce had to do was follow the scent of the prettiest flowers in the universe and there she was.

  Eve’s hair looked much darker in the night. The moonlight cast shadows over her curves and the view made Lucifer’s mouth water.

  If she noticed him approaching, she didn’t act like it. Instead, her head was bent down as she held something in her arms. Her voice was soft and melodious as she cooed at whatever it was. Lucifer approached her cautiously – not because he didn’t want to spook her. Fuck, he didn’t think anything in the woods could actually scare Eve at this point. She seemed so in tune with nature and all its creatures. Including Lucifer at times.

  No, he approached slowly because he didn’t want to scare whatever she was holding. From this distance, he had no way of knowing what it was or if it had claws and teeth. One wrong move on his part, and Eve would be the one to pay the price.

  “Come to enjoy the evening star, Lucifer?” Her voice was gruff, like she’d exhausted her throat somehow.

  “I was worried about you.” Shit, he felt like he was intruding. “It’s dark.”

  “So?”

  “So… I was worried. This is a strange place. We don’t know if there are dangers here or not yet.”

  Eve kept her back to him and continued petting whatever she had cradled in her arms. “I’m sure you asked Lazarus about that the moment I left your sight.”

  Yeah, he had. Still didn’t mean Lazarus was right about saying they were safe here. Safe was a relative term. Lucifer was safe in his cage… sometimes. Lucifer was safe out of his cage… sometimes.

  With her wings at half-mast, Lucifer got a good look at the markings on her back. A curse, scar, burn… whatever it was, it looked…

  Fuck, it looked beautiful.

  And what did that say about him? He wanted to be angry that someone did that to her skin. Wanted to ask her about it. Wanted to know why, how, and all the other details. But instead, he kept his mouth shut. He liked that her body wasn’t perfect, because it was something he could relate to. His gaze dropped to his hands. There were still some swirls around his wrists and down his fingers. Over the short time they’d been in this realm, his dark areas were receding. He didn’t know why and when he asked Lazarus, the Angel prattled on about cinnamon buns with cream cheese icing. Whatever that was.

  Not getting too close, Lucifer leaned against a rock and frowned. “Turn around, Eve.”

  She obeyed him. Slowly rotating her body, she kept her head down and continued to pet the –

  “What is that?”

  “This is a baby ball python. Of the mystic variety going by the coloring.”

  “A baby ball py—” he shook his head, “No, that.” He shoved his finger at her chest.

  Eve was wearing a patch of leaves over herself in various places. A vine draped around the back of her neck with large leaves attached to either end. They draped over her breasts, covering them entirely. His gaze drifted lower and he saw she’d somehow made another foliage covering for between her thighs. “Why are you wearing that?”

  And why did it piss him off?

  “I thought it best,” her cheeks reddened and she gently placed the snake down on the ground. “I’m only trying to save you. Us.”

  “From what?” When she wouldn’t answer, it pissed him off. “Do you wish to hide from my eyes because the thought of me looking sickens you?”

  “The opposite, I assure you.”

  “Then explain this.” He was so hot and furious, Lucifer dripped with black fire. Reaching out, he snatched one of the leaves and ripped the vine off her neck. “Why would you hide yourself like that?”

  “I wore clothes when we met and was hidden from you then. Why would it matter if I did the same now?”

  “Because it just does!” His nostrils flared and he stared at her for so long, she was the one to look away first. “We were not equal when you were clothed,” he confessed. “Now we are.” He gestured at his body and fanned his cut wings out so she could have a good look at his nakedness. Her scent smacked him like an ocean wave, drowning him. “It hasn’t mattered this entire time that we were naked. Why would it be so terrible now?” Was he that fucking hideous? Had something changed about him and he’d failed to notice it?

  “I do not have an answer to that,” she breathed heavily, “I… I’m only trying to save you from this… this feeling.”

  “What feeling?” He was missing something big here. “Does looking at me disgust you? Am I repulsive?”

  “Am I?”

  “No,” he didn’t hesitate to admit it. “I find you quite lovely.

  “And that’s the problem,” she argued.

  He still didn’t get it. “If you do not wish me to look upon your body, just tell me not to and I won’t. Trust me with this, Eve. But you hiding yourself? It makes me feel crazy and…” he didn’t know what the word was, “it feels like you don’t trust me to respect you properly. Give me limits and I’ll honor them. Tell me not to ever look and I won’t. But you wearing leaves makes me feel unworthy of your trust.” It was up to him to not look, not up to her to cover herself up entirely so he wasn’t tempted to peek.

  Still, he didn’t understand why she’d make this sudden change. They’d been naked for days together. Lucifer never paid much attention to her curves until—

  The answer punched him in the gut. “It’s because of what I did earlier, isn’t it? I’ve changed something. Made something about me wicked. You’re shielding yourself from it, aren’t you?”

  He should have never touched himself and brought pleasure to his body in such a way. And Uriel had done it first! She hadn’t acted this way with Uriel at all. Oh fuck this bullshit.

  “I’ll go,” he growled in frustration, “forgive me for intruding.”

  “Don’t leave,” her words were rushed. “Please, stay, Lucifer.”

  Eve tucked her wings back as she waited to see if Lucifer would stay or go. When he didn’t budge, she blew out a big exhale. She’d had enough alone time already and hadn’t realized how much relief Lucifer’s presence brought her.

  Just him existing… breathing the same air, living in the same realm, soothed her in a strange way. It was one of the reasons she broke away from the conversation in the cottage earlier. Her thoughts about Lucifer hadn’t changed… they’d strengthened.

  “You bring comfort,” she said quietly.

  His jaw ticked while he clenched his teeth.

  Maybe he was right. It was not up to her to hide herself to spare him the temptation. Eve needed to trust he would respect her boundaries.

  But him respecting her boundaries wasn’t the real issue…

  Her gaze flicked to the vine and leaf covering she’d made for Lucifer. If she gave it to him now, he’d likely take offense to it. Does looking at me disgust you? Am I repulsive?
His words ricocheted around in her head and rung in her ears. Did he truly think he could ever look repulsive to her? That would never happen in a million years.

  In fact, it was quite the opposite.

  After that kiss, everything had changed. From the way she felt, to how she looked at him, to the scent of his skin and heat of his hands. It was like she’d been electrified. Brought to life in a new manner.

  And after seeing him pleasure himself and the look of sheer ecstasy upon his face, Eve’s curiosity had sky rocketed. As had her fear of what price would be paid for such things.

  She left Laz and Lucifer earlier to find seclusion and gather up the courage to see what it was like. She hadn’t gotten far, though. And Eve wasn’t sure if stopping before she reached a true peak was the best thing, or the most frustrating thing she’d ever done to herself.

  “I tried to see what it was like,” she suddenly blurted out. Confession was engrained in her soul – being part of the Purity Sect had trained her to carry a heavy guilt for every action she took that she’d not received permission for ahead of time.

  “See what what was like?”

  Eve hated how hot her cheeks felt. “The pleasure.”

  Lucifer stiffened. Save her damaged soul, but Eve couldn’t pull her gaze away from watching Lucy’s shaft lengthen and grow hard right before her eyes. She was positively shameful. She needed to do the right thing and look away. Now. Right now. Like super right now.

  Eve’s mouth watered as she continued to stare.

  Lucifer groaned and cupped himself down there. The image of him standing under the moon, erect with his massive black wings fanning out, would be forever engraved in her head. “You like me looking at you, don’t you, Lucifer?”

  “Yes,” he confessed.

  That leaf garment she’d made him wasn’t nearly big enough to cover what he had.

  “W-w-why?” It was hard to breathe with him staring at her like this. Had all the air left the realm? And why was the ground swaying? Gracious it was hot around here.

  “Why would I not like you looking at me like that? You like what you see right now, I can tell. And I like that you see me – raw, naked, all truths out and open.” He stepped forward and let go of himself. Spreading his arms and wings wide, he said, “Take a good look, Eve.”